The period between 1680 and 1707 witnessed a prolonged and intense conflict between the Mughal Empire and the Marathas. It began after the death of Shivaji in 1680 and continued until the death of Aurangzeb in 1707. The Mughal-Maratha relationship during these years was characterized mainly by military confrontation, political rivalry, shifting alliances, and competition for territorial and fiscal control in the Deccan. After Shivaji’s death, his son Sambhaji succeeded him. Aurangzeb regarded the Marathas as a major challenge to Mughal authority in the Deccan. The Mughal emperor personally moved to the Deccan in 1681, intending to crush the Maratha power and consolidate Mughal control over the region. Initially, the Mughals achieved some successes. Sambhaji was captured and executed in 1689. The Mughal conquest of Bijapur in 1686 and Golconda in 1687 also appeared to strengthen Mughal supremacy in the Deccan. However, these victories did not eliminate Maratha resistance. After Sambhaji’s execution, Rajaram became the Maratha ruler and shifted the centre of resistance to Jinji in present-day Tamil Nadu. The Marathas adopted flexible military methods, including guerrilla warfare, rapid cavalry movements, surprise attacks, and raids on Mughal territories. Their decentralized resistance made it difficult for the Mughals to secure permanent